Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

The lighting of Rockefeller Center’s towering Christmas tree—traditionally on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving—is a perennial highlight. Tens of thousands of lights glitter throughout the branches while visitors from around the world take a spin on the ice rink below. Grab a warm cup of hot cocoa and gaze at one of Manhattan’s most iconic holiday displays, rising above the 1934 gilded bronze sculpture of Prometheus. The tree stays lit until early to mid-January; check the website for exact details as the holiday season approaches.